Daytona Beach Real Estate Blog: August 2008

I had other plans for today's blog, until I started reading the blogs in the Things to Do/Places to Visit Group, on Active Rain. I have to admit, I'm not always on top of things in the group, so thank you, everyone who continues to post great information about things to do in your areas, or places you recommend we visit (or move to). We now have over 1,000 posts in the group and I think in all this time (actually only 8 months), I've only had to remove one post that didn't follow the guidelines of the group.

As I perused the posts today, I was impressed by the variety and quality of the blog posts I found. So I thought I'd put together a compilation, and share them with other readers who may not know about the group, or just don't know about all these fabulous bloggers. So in totally random order, here are some great recommendations on things you can find to do, in places you might like to visit or even move to, all about the country.

• Bryant Payden, a Photographer in Hampton, VA posted a photo of a beautiful blue and purple skyline, with the sun dropping behind the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the silhouette of a tree in the foreground.

• Barbara Carter, a Real Estate Agent with Associate Broker Exit Realty Services in New Paltz, NY blogged about Kaplan College being voted by Newsweek Magazine, one of the 25 Hottest Universities.

• Teresa Harris, a Real Estate Agent with Holbrooks Real Estate Inc., in Denver, NC told the greatness of the Center City Green Market, offering fresh fish, local produce, fresh-cut flowers, and the handmade creations of local artists like jewelry, stained glass, live demonstrations, and even interactive events.

• Valerie Osterhoudt, a real estate agent with Johnson Real Estate, Inc., announced a ladybug-shaped Corn Maze and apple-picking at Lyman Orchards, with proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.
  

• Jimmy McCall, a mortgage consultant with Legacy Mortgage Services, Inc., blogged about Clarksville Riverfest 2008. The list of food at this event is unbelievable, but pales in comparison to the 45+ entertainers that will be performing on 2 stages; not to mention the boat parade!

• Mike Jones, a Mortgage Lender with Tucson Mortgage Company, LLC, in Tucson, AZ mused about his findings at a... Free Motivational Seminar? I recommend that you read this unique post.

• Carl and Ceil Winters, Home Inspectors with Complete Inspection Service in New Braunfels, TX, told us about the Canyon Trail Chuckwagon Supper and Cowboy Music at Canyon Lake, TX. The old town feel of the marketing material is appealing in itself. The only thing else I can say is "Carl and Ceil found Yogi Bear!" LOL. Read their post to find out more.

• Jim Sanders, Real Estate Broker with Jim Sanders Realty, Inc. provided us with an extensive list of all kinds of places to visit in Haiku, HI. Check his list for many options.
  

• Casey Brischle, a Mortgage Professional with Bank of Whitman in Spokane, WA gave us an amusing list of the many nicknames of Spokane, which is way more than you can imagine. Casey wants to know if your city has more nicknames than Spokanes. Better check out his post and weigh in for your town.

There are plenty more fantastic posts in the Things to Do/Places to Visit Group. If you frequently blog for Localism about the merits of your home town, we'd love to have you join our group. And if you're interested in being a moderator for the group, I wouldn't mind having some help =).  Also, if you're already a member of the group, be sure to comment on each other's posts, so everyone can be sure to have comments on their posts.

If you do not post these types of posts, please read my own post about my difficulty in finding things for my daughter to do in a new town, as she enters her first year of college.

 

THE Port Orange Real Estate & Community Event Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

If you live in or near New Smyrna Beach or Port Orange and feel like technology is leaving you behind, you'll like this information.

 

• The New Smyrna Beach Regional Library is offering Beginner's Computer Classes. These classes will be held in the auditorium. For more information, call 386-424-2910 ext. 104.

• The Port Orange Regional Library is offering both Basic and Advanced FREE Internet Classes. Follow the preceding link for a list of all the dates and times of the classes offered, or for more informationa, call 386-322-5152.
  

Both the New Smyrna Beach and the Port Orange public libraries are branches of the Volusia County Public Library. The main library location for Volusia county is in downtown Daytona Beach, at City Island. The Volusia County libraries all work together to provide the best meda available, including multiple computer stations for public use. Choose your favorite library in any city in Volusia County and spend a leisurely morning or afternoon out of the summer heat, reading your favorite material, or attending one of the many available programs being offered. And a good place to start might be with these helpful technology classes.

If you're considering a move to Volusia County, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill, a Daytona Beach native, and Lisa Hill is an experienced real estate agent with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®. Lisa Hill is also a member of both the New Smyrna Beach REALTOR® Association and the Daytona Beach Area Association of REALTORS®.

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateVideos.com

 

 

Port Orange Real Estate & Community Event Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

If you're a golf lover and are interested in buying real estate in the Daytona Beach area, you should consider the golf communities in the beautiful city of Port Orange, which is just south of Daytona Beach. If you have your heart set on buying real estate in golf communities found in Daytona Beach just follow the link embedded in the text just before this. You may also be interested in the beachside golf community of Harbour Village in Ponce Inlet. That link is also embedded in the preceding text. I've actually written several blog posts about things to do in Ponce Inlet, including posts about the lighthouse, the Marine Science Center, and more.

But this real estate post is going to focus on one particular golf comunity in Port Orange. This Port Orange golf community is Spruce Creek Fly-In, which is not only a golf community, but a fly-in community also, as the name indicates. If you're a plane or flying enthusiast, you can own a home directly on a taxiway, and fly in and out of the private airport. But Spruce Creek Fly-In also has a challenging golf course. But more importantly, Spruce Creek Fly-In is a full service Country Club with tennis, a fitness center, fine dining, banquet facilities, a large pool where plenty of parties are held, and other miscellaneous activities.

Click here to view photos of all 18 holes of the Spruce Creek Fly-In Golf Course.

If you're interested in buying real estate at the Spruce Creek Fly-In golf community in Port Orange FL, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®. Lisa Hill is a native of Daytona Beach FL and had sold real estate in every city in east Volusia county. Lisa Hill is a member of both the Daytona Beach Area Association of REALTORS® and Multiple Listing Service (MLS), and the New Smyrna Beach Beach Board of REALTORS®.

Visit the expert Port Orange Real Estate web site here, and find exclusive Port Orange information here. Also, view videos of my real estate MLS listings here.

 

THE Daytona Beach Real Estate & Community Event Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

Have you ever thought about how you would find inexpensive things to do in a particular city or area? I'm not talking about your home town, or even a vacation destination. I'm talking about moving to a new location and knowing very little about the area. Most of you will probably have your mental wheels turning. First of all, set aside the thought of how that could possibly happen. We'll get to that later. Once you get past that, you're probably thinking you can just go find a visitor's guide, or do an online search, or even ask some local people what they suggest...  But what would you have done when you were only 18 years old? Add to that, the fact that you're going to spend the next 4 years in this new location, and have a very limited budget. What would you do?

A few days ago, my daughter left for her first year of college. So far, she’s spent her first few days in orientation, finalizing her scholarship details, and handling a few other miscellaneous requirements that didn’t take much time. After only a few days, I quickly noticed a trend that concerned me. Every time I talked to my daughter on the phone, she was either going to or coming from a restaurant. Finally, I reminded her of how much she hated it when she gains weight, how hard she had worked out all summer, and how she had told me she was determined to NOT gain the “freshmen 15". But when I asked her why she didn’t do something other than go out to eat, she told me there was nothing to do but go out to eat, or hang around the apartments/dorms with her roommates and a few other students who were on campus this weekend. (Actually, her correct statement probably should have been that "she didn't know of anything affordable” for them to do, and she was too afraid to venture out on her own.) Apparently most of the kids had gone home for the weekend, which WAS an option for my daughter, since her college is less than 100 miles from home, but she didn’t realize there would be so few of her peers on campus this weekend. She had made the decision to stay on campus this weekend so she could get to know some more students before classes started on Monday. But since most of the kids who lived close enough to do so, had gone home, the ones left didn’t know of anything to do. So they all kept going out to eat.

The only other things they had done in the last 3 days were one activity that a campus custodian thought up for them to do, which sounded like a cross between touch football and red rover. Then yesterday, the parents of one of her roommates brought them a TV, then the girls found a couple of boys on the campus to rearrange their living room furniture (several times) until the cable cord didn’t reach the TV. So last night, my husband and I took her grocery shopping, and installed a coaxial cable and connector, so they can watch their TV. (Great. Now they can eat, then sit around and watch TV.)

As I mentioned in one of my recent posts (about inexpensive things to do in our area), my daughter is attending a bible college. So I should also mention that these kids aren’t interested in going out drinking or partying, and they’re not of age anyway, plus, it would get them expelled. In addition to all this, the college enforces strict curfews, so their evening activities are going to be somewhat limited, no matter what they do.

So I started thinking about the activities I had done with my roommate and friends when I was her age, living in a new town. I can remember frequently spending the day at several of the many springs that are natural to Florida where we would camp, picnic or swim. Or we would take the 30 minute drive to a local beach for the day. I can also remember water-skiing or “tubing” behind boats on the St. John’s River (which is now mostly a “no-wake” zone). I remember spending the day at a house on a lake, which belonged to the friend-of-a-friend, once again doing the same types of outdoor, water activities... For indoor activities we went bowling, played games at the boardwalk, went to the skating rink, attended $1.00 movies (does anyone remember those?) or just spent time at the houses of local friends. I also started teaching aerobics when I was 18 years old, which paid more than a part-time job, kept me in shape, and included a free gym membership, so I made friends at the gym as well. These friends also taught me to eat properly, so I guess that's why of all my memories, none of them involved going out to eat all the time. But best of all, each activity was either free or very inexpensive.

So after I hung up the phone with my daughter, I went online to find some inexpensive things that she and her friends could do near their college. I know that I am constantly blogging about things to do in my area so I assumed I would find this same type of information for that area, from another dedicated blogger. My assumption was very wrong! I spent an hour trying many combinations of search phrases, frustratingly trying to find the information I needed. I won’t say that I came up with nothing, but it was pretty darn close! And none of the information I found was from a blogger.

Now you may remember the blog I posted about my history with an eating disorder when I was younger. Well, thank God, my daughter has not had this problem, but I wonder how many of those children will go down that dark, potentially deadly path, if within a matter of weeks, they find themselves suddenly 15-20 pounds heavier. Obviously, it’s because of my own history that I l have this concern, but did you know that 1 in 5 girls and women has an eating disorder of some type? And knowing what these diseases do to someone’s body, I feel we have an obligation to do what we can, to prevent it. I am 40 years old, and have been eating disorder-free for the past 21 of those years. But I’m going to take this opportunity to address this. I know I'm generalizing this, but why is it that almost all people feel that the only way they can socialize is around a table of food? I’ve spent the majority of my life making excuses for why I can’t go out to eat. I’ve offered suggestions of other things we can do, but to no avail. The people who don’t want to eat, just want to drink. *sigh* But I'll get back to my original topic.

Why are so few people blogging about things to do in their area? At this point, I’m now addressing my fellow Active Rain bloggers. I’d venture a guess that about half of my posts are about things to do in my area. And I think only two of them were about food/a restaurant. I'll avoid repeating my eating disorder statistics. But knowing that the city where my daughter is attending college has several Active Rain bloggers in it, why did I not find the information for which I was searching? My daughter, her friends, and students of other colleges in that area, desperately need this information.

I'll end this with a plea for help from my fellow bloggers. PLEASE! Write Localism posts about your area! You never know who might need it. And knowing that there are colleges in your area, you must know that some of those students will have parents who want to actually buy real estate as an investment while their children attend college. And now, more than ever, with real estate prices being so low, by the time those children finish their college career, the real estate market will be back on track and that investment will have appreciated.

I have intentionally not mentioned the city where my daughter is attending college, for her own safety. But trust me when I say, this city would be a very desirable location for the parents of those students, as a retirement or vacation destination. Think about that. There's even a group for these types of posts. I created it myself. It's the Things to Do/Places to Visit group. So even if you're just wanting to share your vacation with others, you have a group here that's dedicated to letting others know about all the interesting or exciting things you have to share.

Now for any real estate buyers or sellers who have stumbled upon this blog post, if you're interested in buying or selling real estate in the Daytona Beach area, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa C. Hill for all your real estate needs. And keep checking back for ongoing information of things to do in Volusia County. Or visit my real estate web site, including my MLS real estate listings.

If you're looking for this information right now, here are a few posts that can help.

• Moving to Daytona Beach? There Are Plenty of Things to Do!
• Daytona Beach Biketoberfest
• Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach Areas. Mark Your Calendars
• Daytona Beach Special Events
• Southeast Museum of Photography
• Driving on Daytona Beach
• Flea and Farmer's Market
• Halifax River Audubon Society
• Jackie Robinson Ball Park
• Daytona Beach Spas and Resorts
• NASCAR-Daytona 500
• Daytona Beach Museum of Arts and Sciences
• New Public Pool
• Volusia County Fair
• Ormond Beach-Tomoka State Park
• Ponce Inlet Lighthouse
• Adopt A Sea Turtle Nest
• Ponce Inlet Marine Science Center
• Plan A Fun Outing in Port Orange
• South Daytona Riverfront Park
• Ponce Inlet and Daytona Beach, Halifax River Audubon Trips
• Daytona Beach Museums and Art Galleries
• List of Area Things to Do

I have many more posts of this nature, but I've already inserted way more links than I've ever included in one post. But I think you get my point. People need to know what there is to do in areas where they are visiting, or where they are considering moving. This type of information can be the deciding factor on whether or not they visit or move to an area.

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateVideos.com

 

THE Daytona Beach Real Estate & Community Event Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

If you're vacationing in the Daytona Beach area, there's a good possibility that you're considering buying real estate here. I know this because I've received many calls lately from real estate buyers who will be here within the next few weeks and months, to purchase their winter homes. Before I proceed with this post, I'd like to welcome our new crowd of snowbirds who join us every winter. And a big welcome to my 2 year buyers who have finally sold their 228 year house in CT! We have some great houses lined up for viewing tomorrow.

I wanted to write this post for our vacationers, our seasonal residents, and even our full-time residents who aren't aware of the cultural aspects of our area. Many people visit, or move to the Daytona Beach area with only the knowledge of our beaches and the fact that you can drive on them. To be honest, I was born right here in Daytona Beach, and wasn't aware of some of these activities and events. But that's because so much has been added in recent years. Here are some upcoming events. I've included things to do for people of all ages and preferences. Of course, these ideas are only a small portion of the many options you have to choose from. But it's a nice little sampling.

• Southeast Museum of Photography, Daytona State College, 1200 International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach. Film Screening by Eric Breitenbach. Aug 26, "When Pigs Fly". Aug 28, "My Father's Son". 12:00 p.m. FREE. For more info call 386-506-4475 or visit www.smponline.org
• Joan James Harris Theater, Atlantic Center for the Arts, 1414 Art Center Ave., New Smyrna Beach. InsideOUT - Visual artist Carsten Nicolai, Digital Media Artist John F. Simon, and Interactive Installation Artist Camille Utterback & Assoc., Aug. 22 at 7:00 p.m. Free to members, $10.00 for non-members. Reservations are requested. Call 386-427-6975.
• All Saints Lutheran Church, 751 Dunlawton Ave., Port Orange. Music for Healing. Aug. 20 - Trall Heitzenrater. Aug. 27 - Vita Fortin. 12:15 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. Free for all ages. For more info call 386-761-9129.
• Peninsula Women's Club, 415 South Peninsula Dr., Daytona Beach, Mondays at 11:00 a.m., Luncheon followed by Contract Bridge or Canasta. For more info call Pauline at 386-322-8548.
• American Red Cross and Daytona State College, Swim Lessons, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach. Swim lessons for all ages by American Red Cross Water Safety Instructors. Pre-Register at 386-506-4386.
• Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Demonstrations, 4931 South Peninsula Drive, Ponce Inlet. For more information, call 386-761-1821.
• Marine Science Center, Ponce Inlet, Educational Programs and Recreational Activities, 100 Lighthouse Drive, Ponce Inlet, FL. For information, call (386) 304-5545.
• Former Home of John D. Rockefeller, The Casements in Ormond Beach, FL. Museum and Tours. 25 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach. For more information call (386) 676-3216.
• Tomoka State Park, 2099 N Beach St, Ormond Beach, FL. Swimming, Camping, Hiking, Fishing and more. Call (386) 676-4050.
• Riverfront Veterans Memorial Park, Palmetto Ave., South Daytona. Playground, picnic areas, boat ramp, kayak ramps, public dock, fishing and more. 
• Plan A Fun Outing in Port Orange, FL. Miscellaneous things to do in Port Orange, FL.

This list could go on forever, but this should be enough to keep you busy for at least the rest of the summer. If you're planning on buying real estate in any of the cities mentioned in the blog, and all the other surrounding cities, Lisa Hill is a native of the Daytona Beach area, with experience selling real estate all over east Volusia county. Make a Smart Choice today and contact Lisa Hill for all your real estate needs.

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateVideos.com

 

 

THE Daytona Beach Real Estate & Community Event Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

 

Yesterday I wrote a blog about what was previously Daytona Beach Community College; now Daytona State College. In that post, I made a comment about my daughter using Florida's Bright Future's Scholarship to attend her college of choice, because apparently it was uncool to attend college in the city where you were born and raised.

Well, I received a comment on that blog post by a current student of Daytona State College, who has his own blog about DSC, and wrote a post in response to my own. Apparently Richard X. Thripp didn't like my comment about my daughter thinking it was uncool to attend college in the same city where she was born. He also said that DBCC only changed the name of the school, but didn't do anything to warrant the name change that now makes it a state college. You owe it to yourself to read Richard's post, as he is obviously very proud of his school!

I'm writing this post to bring a few things to the attention of Richard and anyone else who is following this series. And I call it a series, since I've actually written several posts about this college, and many others in the area.

First of all, I'll address Richard's comment about DBCC changing nothing but the name. I mean this as no offense, but from Richard's limited perspective, it probably does seem that nothing has changed but the name.  But I believe Richard only knows this college as the place he is attending for a few years. But I can remember DBCC when it was a very small building that barely offered a 2 year education. Over the years, more and more was added, such as theaters, an olympic-sized swimming pool, athletics program, a few 4 year degrees, and then more 4 year degrees, etc. Then other colleges such as Keiser College, Nova Southeastern University, and University of Central FL, added branches onto the DBCC campus. Then came the excellent photography department, and most recently the Mori Hosseini "School of Hospitality and Culinary Management".

So, obviously there have been MANY changes to warrant the change from DBCC to DSC. It's just been a very long process.

Next I wanted to address my own comment about it being "uncool to attend college in the city where you were born and raised". That statement is only partially true in my daughter's case. For one thing, she DID attend DBCC. But she did so while she was still in high school, in the dual enrollment program, which allows high school students to attend college for absolutely free. The credits that the students obtain while in the dual enrollment program are good for both college and high school. And then there's the fact that my daughter is attending a private, bible college. Obviously, DBCC, DBC or DSC: whatever you want to call it, is not a bible college. But the college/high school credits my daughter obtained through the dual-enrollment program enabled her to enter bible college with many of her core courses already completed, and time shaved off the length of her college career.

So if you live in Daytona Beach, or are moving to Daytona Beach, we have MANY colleges here- just follow the previous link to view a list of those colleges. If you're interested in photography, you may consider attending Daytona State's College's photography program. You can start by taking a tour of the Southeast Museum of Photography.

When you're ready to purchase real estate in Daytona Beach or any of the surrounding areas, Lisa Hill is an expert and professional real estate agent. If you have an questions, contact Lisa Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®.

You may also want to View Daytona Beach Area Real Estate MLS Listings, or Daytona Beach Area Real Estate Listing Videos.

 

 

THE Daytona Beach Real Estate & Community Event Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

A while back I wrote a post to this blog, listing all of the colleges and universities in the Daytona Beach area.

I was born and raised in the Daytona Beach area, and can remember when all we had was Daytona Beach Community College, and of course Stetson University in DeLand. Not long ago, Daytona Beach Community College (DBCC) dropped the word "community" from their name, as they had expanded so much over the years. But the most recent addition was the "The School of Hospitality and Culinary Management", donated by local real estate builder Mori Hosseini, aptly titled the Mori Hosseini Center.

But the newly named Daytona Beach College (DBC) was not enough for the powers-that-be. This once little college that could, is now a state college. This should be a big draw for students from all over the country, and is just one more step in what the city of Daytona Beach has been gearing toward for the past 12 years which is to create a family oriented environment instead of a party-town.

So for those of you who are parents of students who want to attend a state college, or if you're a student who wants to attend a state college, consider Daytona State College. And don't forget, Florida offers scholarships to all students who can qualify. My own daughter obtained one of Florida's Bright Future's Scholarships and will be starting her college of choice next week. (Apparently, attending college in the same county where you were born and raised is not cool.)

So, if you'll be attending any of the colleges in the Daytona Beach area, or if you're the proud parent of one of those students, consider buying a house, townhouse, or condo during the college years. This is a great time to buy, a great place to retire, a great place to spend your winters, and a great place to own an investment property. Real estate is local, and right now, the Daytona Beach real estate market seems to have officially stopped it's decline in property values, and the inventory has been decreasing for the last 6 months which means an improvement in the supply and demand ratio.

If you need more information on any of the cities in east Volusia County, visit my web site at www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com and add this blog to your favorites. Check back frequently to learn more about Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Shores, Wilbur by the Sea, Ponce Inlet, Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater/Florida Shores, South Daytona, Holly Hill, Ormond Beach and Ormond by the Sea. As a 3rd generation Floridian, and Daytona Beach native, Lisa Hill with Adams Cameron Realty has sold real estate in all of these cities. To view videos of my real estate listings, go to www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateVideos.com.

 

Daytona Beach Realtor, using technology for real estate. Lisa Hill, "The Smart Choice"

My new Smart Phone and the accompanying drama :P (Of course there had to be some drama)

I was just reading a blog post by Carol Culkin about her new Blackberry. She just got her first one, and it sounds like it's her first Smart Phone! O.o  After leaving one of my loooong comments (They're becoming all too common) I decided I should just blog it. So off we go =) Make sure you read Carol's blog about her first Blackberry, and what sounds like her first endeavor with any Smart Phone, Palm Pilot, Pocket PC, PDA or whatever you have or would like to call it.

I got my first PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) about 6 years ago. It was a Toshiba e755 Pocket PC. And I loved it! But I kept wondering why they didn't combine my phone with it ;) It drove me nuts, to have to open the PDA for my contacts, then type their phone number into my phone. (And always carry both.) But yaaaayyy! I wasn't the only one thinking that!

A couple of years later, as SOON as Smart Phone technology was released, I started researching for the one I wanted! I decided on a HP iPAQ 6515. At the time, it cost $500 as it was one of the first generation Smart Phones. (No rebates and I didn't care!)

Now a few weeks ago, I got my second Smart Phone. I looked for weeks and weeks for what I wanted (which was the update of what I already had) but AT&T didn't carry HP iPAQ anymore =( I could buy it on the HP web site, but it's still $500 when you do it that way. So I "settled" for the Palm Treo 750. It took a while to get used to. (I REALLY liked my HP iPAQ!) But I've finally gotten it pretty much figured out.

What's interesting is the way I ended up with the Palm Treo 750. First of all, you have to know that I HATE the Palm platform! I absolutely refuse to use it. And I'm not really into listening to music on my phone, so I was getting fed up with all the "toy" phones. The reasons I wanted the newer version of the HP iPAQ were that it ran on the Pocket PC/Windows Mobile platform, and had the real, pocket versions of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point, Adobe Reader, GPS, and much more. I actually had a listing presentation that I created in Power Point, then converted to the pocket version on my HP iPAQ!

So after weeks and weeks of searching online and returning to store over and over again, unable to find something I liked, I finally decided I would have to settle for the AT&T Tilt phone even though I didn't really like it. (I should mention that I HAD to get a new phone because my battery was no longer holding the charge) So as I was waiting for the girl to get the AT&T Tilt phone out of the case, I was absently reading the Palm Treo 750 info and noticed that is said it was running on a Windows platform.... Hold the phone!  WHAT!?! They now have the Windows platform running on a Palm Smart Phone? I had been in and out of that store several times; each time, ranting that I wanted a Pocket PC (Windows Mobile) NOT a Palm, and telling them I didn't like the Tilt because it's bulky. The employees didn't even know that the Palm Treo 750 had what I wanted! It's pretty bad when the customer's more educated than the employees! The only problem was that the info card said it was running Windows Mobile version 5 and I knew the newest version was 6. But when the girl went into the back room to check and make sure that Windows was in fact running on a Palm Smart Phone, she also discovered that version 6 was on the phones in stock. So I now have my new Smart Phone with all my client info, appointments, notes, tasks, etc., AND the real versions of my Microsoft Office suite and I'm back in business so to speak. So with my start screen customized the way I want it, I am once again a happy Smart Phone camper =)  Now I'm just waiting for the new case I bought on eBAY (the stores never carry real leather cases, or choices in style) to come in the mail.

Now I have all my real estate customer and client information with me, wherever I go. My Smart Phone is synchronized with Microsoft Outlook on my computer. Now I never have to worry about not having the phont number of a client, whenever I need it.

If you're interested in buying or selling real estate in the Daytona Beach area, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill with Adams Cameron REALTORS®.

Want to buy a house in the beautiful city of Port Orange? << Follow this link to start your journey to living in Port Orange FL.

 

THE Daytona Beach Real Estate & Community Event Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

Right now at the Daytona Beach Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS), you can find several spectacular and unique exhibits. The first exhibit is a Chinese Kite Exhibition, by artist Sheng-li Gao. This particular exhibit will be ending soon so hurry to the museum by August 28, 2008! The Chinese Kite exhibition is in honor of the now-running Olympic Games in Beijing, China. These kites float elegantly in the MOAS Root Gallery, varying in size from about 2 to 10 feet, depicting different animals and birds. And one of the best features of the Chinese Kite Exhibits will be the live demonstrations on the art of kite-making, by the kite master himself, Sheng-li Gao.

Another collection currently being featured, this one being long-term, at the Daytona Beach Museum of Arts and Sciences is The Armory of Antique Firearms, Weapons and Armor. This collection was donated to MOAS in 1998 by Kenneth Worcester-Dow and Mary Mohan Dow.

The Armory Collection features artifacts that have never before been on exhibit. Some of which were made by famous gunsmiths and weapon-makers from the medieval period, through the 19th century. You'll find decorated muskets, rifles and pistols, lions-head daggers, war axes, knives, a variety of swords, and even a rare, late 17th century inlaid German crossbow.

Last but not least, also on long-term display in The Karshan Center of Graphic Art, beginning August 22, 2008 is an Exhibition of Art in many mediums, illustrating what inspired architects and builders of classical style.

This information has been provided by Lisa C. Hill, "The Smart Choice" for all your real estate needs.

Click here to view Daytona Beach Area MLS real estate listings

Click here to view the Daytona Beach Area real estate web site

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Port Orange Real Estate & Community Event Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

 

I've previously posted many blogs about real estate and things to do in the beautiful city of Port Orange, which is just south of Daytona Beach, FL. It's so close that many people don't realize it's not part of Daytona Beach. Click here to read about the closeness of the cities in the Daytona Beach area.

If you're not aware of this, August is by far, the hottest month of the year, every year! And trust me. It's HOT! When I have real estate buyers who need to buy real estate in July or August, I actually leave the car and air conditioner running, and bring my spare key in with me. Otherwise, even if we're only in a house or condo for 5 or 10 minutes, by the time we get back in the car, everyone is dripping with sweat. Sound pleasant doesn't it? The good news is, it's only this hot for a short period of time each year AND it usually rains every afternoon, which brings down the temperature. And to compensate for the sudden afternoon downpours, I keep 5 or 6 umbrellas in my car at all times. (I try to cover all the bases.) So if you're planning to buy real estate in the Daytona Beach/Port Orange area, I've got you covered while we're looking =) 

On my last post, I announced the good news about a new public swimming pool and mini water park in Daytona Beach. That's fantastic if you buy a house that doesn't have a swimming pool. But there's another option too. Have you considered living in a neighborhood with a community swimming pool? We have MANY neighborhoods like this. In this post, I'm not going to list them all, but I thought I'd draw your attention back to a community I featured a while back. Well, actually it's a master community, with several mini communities within. It's called Countryside, and it's one of the most conveniently located communities in the city of Port Orange. I say it's conveniently located because you can walk to banks, restaurants, doctor's offices, dentists, gyms, lakes, the river, the beach, churches, even a hospital! And to tie it in with this post, Countryside has a community clubhouse, library, tennis courts, and swimming pool. It's an absolutely beautiful community. As a matter of fact, the entire city of Port Orange has a personal motto: "Unique by Choice, Not by Chance".  I'll wrap this up by directing you to some of my previous posts about Port Orange. Within these posts, you you'll find links to other posts as well. So with a few extra clicks, you'll be able to learn all about Port Orange and more.

• Port Orange FL: A Great Place to Live
• Plan A Fun Outing in Port Orange
  
• Port Orange FL-Butterfly and Hummingbird Gardening
• Spruce Creek High School in Port Orange

For all your real estate needs, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa C. Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®.

www.PortOrangeRealEstateSales.com

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THE Daytona Beach Real Estate & Community Event Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

Great news for Daytona Beach residents who need a way to escape the heat. A new public aquatic center has been built on the corner of Nova Road and George W. Engram Blvd. This new "regulation size" pool is the Cypress Aquatic Center, with a 101 swimmer capacity. But this is more than just a pool. This affordable way to spend a day ($3.00 for adults, $2.00 if under 17, children under age 7 must be accompanied by a responsible person over the age of 16.) has locker rooms with showers, family changing rooms, and a covered picnic area which includes availability for party rentals. But that list is just the part the adults and parents will appreciate.

Check this out!

• 6 waterplay stations with waterfalls
  
• 6 swimming lanes
• a curved water slide

To me, that all sounds like a lot of fun for kids of all ages! And this $1.6 million project was made possible by a $200,000 grant from the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program, and a $500,000 ECHO grant from Volusia County.

In the future, the city has plans to build a new gymnasium, tennis courts, a baseball field, basketbal courts, a community center and additional parking.

For more information, and a list of exercise classes and swimming lessones, call 386-671-3402.

To buy or sell real estate, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa C. Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®.

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Daytona's Gotta Dance. Are you in Daytona Beach? Then that can only mean one thing. You have to dance! OK, so maybe you personally won't be doing the dancing, but this fundraiser is for a really good cause, so keep reading.

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you've probably read several posts about Seaside Music Theater. The most unique thing about Seaside Music Theater (SMT) is that it's the only theater in the Southeastern U.S. that includes a full pit orchestra in their productions. Unfortunately, with the economy the way it is, you may have also read my post about the financial troubles that Seaside Music Theater began having when the Daytona Beach News Journal, which had been the Theater's biggest supporter, dropped a bomb on SMT at the last minute, thus forcing them to cancel the entire summer season. (This didn't help the reputation of the Daytona Beach News Journal among many of the locals.) In the mean time, SMT has been trying to get up and running again, but the struggle has been overwhelming. Even after many season ticket holders decided to freely walk away from the money they had paid for the season, just to help the Theater stay in business, SMT is still not able to officially plan for a fall season.

So several local businesses decided that holding a "dance-off" would be a good way to raise money for SMT. That is how much this theater means to the community at large! If you'd like to watch this Dance-Off, featuring some local business professionals, you may purchase tickets to "Daytona's Gotta Dance" at the News Journal Center Box Office by cash or check only. The Box Office is located at 221 N. Beach Street, Daytona Beach, FL. You may also Purchase Votes from your favorite dancer up until the night of the event on August 9, 2008. If you have questions, or need more information, call 386-252-6200. And in addition to watching the local business professionals have their dance-off, there will also be a professional Tango performace to top off the night of fun and fund-raising.

Please don't let Volusia County lose this incredible theater. There is none of it's caliber, anywhere near this area. I've been to many SMT venues and have never been disappointed. So please, let's all chip in to keep our local arts alive, by supporting the Seaside Music Theater.

 

This Daytona Beach information has been brought to you by Daytona Beach native, and real estate professional, Lisa C. Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®.

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THE Daytona Beach Real Estate & Community Event Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

Since real estate is still slow in many parts of the country, and many REALTORS®, both young and old, are struggling to make ends meet... and sellers may be just as discouraged... motivation may be running low for many people. So as I just wrote and posted the blog for the PHOTO MeMe's Group, (using my lovely daughter as my motivation) as I was embedding an old video I created for her, over a year ago, I also ran across a few other videos that I thought you might enjoy.

I especially thought you all might enjoy this video/slide show, using quotes from Tom Hopkins. However, I slightly changed a few quotes, since they held a borderline conflict with my personal beliefs. I titled my video "The Slump Stops Here". So for anyone who needs some motivation, enjoy the video =)

And if you're a real estate buyer or seller in the Port Orange, Daytona Beach, or anywhere in East Volusia County, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa C. Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®.

 

 

 

 

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Port Orange Real Estate & Community Events Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE"

Non-Profit Social Service Organizations in the Daytona Beach area. A quick and easy list, for your convenience.

• Council on Aging of Volusia County, 160 N. Beach Street, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Gail Camputaro, 386-253-4711 www.DaytonaSeniorServices.org
  

• Stewart-Marchman Center, 3875 Tiger Bay Rd., Daytona Beach, FL 32124
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Chet Bell, 386-947-1300, www.stewartmarchman.org

• Children's Home Society, 2400 S. Ridgewood Ave., S. Daytona, FL 32119
  
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Christine Davenport, 386-304-7600, www.chsfl.org

• Act Corporation, 1220 Willis Ave., Daytona Beach, FL 32114
  
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Janet Miller, 386-236-1764 www.actcorp.org

• Family Life Center (Domestic Emergency Shelter), P.O. Box 2058, Bunnell, FL
  
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Diana Christen, 386-437-7610 www.flcsafehouse.org

• Homeless Assistance Corp. (dba The Star Center), 340 North Street, Daytona Beach, FL 32117,
  
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Kassy Guy-Reed, 386-252-9400 www.homelessindaytona.org

• Domestic Abuse Council, P.O. Box 142, Daytona Beach, FL 32114,
  
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: M.F. Warren, 386-257-2297 www.domesticabusecouncil.org

• American Cancer Society, 1737 N. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32117,
  
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Robert Watts, 386-274-3274 www.cancer.org

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia/Flagler Counties, 101 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand, FL 32720
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Joe Sullivan, 386-734-0555 www.bgcvfv.org

• Early Learning Coalition of Flagler & Volusia Counties, 230 N. Beach St., Daytona Beach, FL 32114,
  
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Victoria Stark, 386-323-2400 www.elcfv.org

• Halifax Humane Society, 2364 W. LPGA Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32124
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: James Noe, 386-274-4703 www.halifaxhumanesociety.org

• Halifax Habitat for Humanity, 826 White Street, Daytona Beach, FL 32117
  
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Lori Gillooly, 386-257-9950 www.halifaxhabitat.org
  

• Conklin Center for the Blind, 405 White Street, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Robert Kelly, 386-258-3441 www.conklincenter.org

• Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida (Volusia), 324 North Street, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Dave Krepcho, 386-257-4499 www.foodbankcentralflorida.org

• PACE Center for Girls, Inc., 208 Central Ave., Ormond Beach, FL 32174
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Dr. Renee McQueen, 386-944-1111 www.pacecenter.org

• American Red Cross, 341 White Street, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Dan Roll, 386-226-1400 www.flcoasttocoastredcross.org

• Easter Seals of Volusia/Flagler Counties, 1219 Dunn Ave., Daytona Beach, FL 32120
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Lynn Sinnott, 386-255-4568 www.easterseals-volusiaflagler.org
  

• United Cerebral Palsy of East Central Florida, 1100 Jimmy Ann Drive, Daytona Beach, FL 32117
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Barry Pollack, 386-274-6474 www.ucpecf.org
  

• American Heart Assocation-Volusia and Flagler, 555 W. Granada Blvd., H-6, Ormond Beach, FL 32174
• Executive Director/Primary Contact: Katy Cuthill, 386-676-0001, www.americanheart.org

 

This charitable information has been provided to you by "The Smart Choice", Lisa C. Hill, with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®.

Buy your next house or condo in the Daytona Beach area with Lisa C. Hill. Make a Smart Choice today!

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